Cedar forest Azrou guide: Barbary macaques, giant cedars, and how to visit responsibly
How do I visit the Barbary macaques in the cedar forest near Azrou?
Drive or take a day trip from Fes to Azrou (90km, 1.5 hours). The cedar forest begins just south of Azrou town and macaque groups are reliably found along the main forest road, especially in the morning. No admission fee. Do not feed the monkeys.
North Africa’s only wild monkey, in a 1,000-year-old cedar forest
The cedar forest south of Azrou is one of Morocco’s most distinctive natural experiences — and one of the most consistently mismanaged by tourists. The Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) that live in the forest are genuinely wild animals, habituated to human presence but not tame. The giant Atlas cedars that form the canopy are among the oldest trees in North Africa. The combination makes for an exceptional natural visit — provided you approach it with basic awareness of how not to harm what you’ve come to see.
This guide covers the forest logistics, the Gouraud cedar, ethical macaque viewing, what to combine with an Azrou visit, and how to get there from Fes.
The Barbary macaque: what you’re actually looking at
The Barbary macaque is the only non-human primate native to North Africa. It’s also the only macaque species found outside Asia. Conservation status: Endangered. Population across Morocco, Algeria, and Gibraltar has declined significantly over the past 40 years due to habitat loss, poaching for the pet trade, and behavioural disruption from tourist feeding.
Physical characteristics: Medium-sized, tailless (unlike most primates), with a pale-brown to grey coat, dark face, and the distinctive human-like hands that visitors find startling at close range. Adults weigh 7-15kg. Males are notably larger than females.
Social structure: The Azrou forest population lives in multi-generational family groups of 10-40 individuals, with complex hierarchies and strong infant-bonding behaviour across the whole group — unusual in primates, Barbary macaque infant care is shared between males as well as females.
Behaviour in the forest: Groups spend time foraging, grooming, nursing young, and resting. Their natural diet is cedar bark, acorns, mushrooms, insects, and seasonal fruits. Tourist-provided bananas and bread disrupts this diet, causes dependency on human food sources, and has been linked to aggression, malnutrition, and increased disease transmission.
Ethical viewing: the non-negotiables
The Azrou macaque population has been studied by conservationists for decades and the effects of tourist feeding are well-documented and damaging. The rules are simple:
Do not feed the macaques. This is not merely a guideline. Macaques that receive tourist food abandon foraging, lose the ability to find adequate natural nutrition, develop aggressive behaviour around vehicles and people, and transmit diseases to humans through close contact. Vendors at the forest edge sell bags of food specifically for tourists to give the macaques — do not buy or use these.
Do not let them enter your vehicle. Habituated macaques learn to open car doors and will enter vehicles looking for food. Keep windows mostly closed if macaques approach.
Do not handle young macaques. Even if a juvenile approaches you or seems friendly, handling them triggers defensive responses from adult group members that can result in bites. Macaque bites can transmit Herpes B virus, which is rare but serious.
Photography without flash. Flash photography causes stress. In natural light, macaques make exceptional photography subjects at close range — their facial expressions and social interactions are remarkably readable.
Maintain distance. Observe from 3-5 metres when possible. The macaques will often approach closer on their own terms; let them set the distance rather than moving toward them.
Finding the macaques
The forest road south of Azrou (Route P7238, toward Ifrane or continuing south toward the plateau) passes through the main macaque habitat zones. Groups are reliably found:
Along the main road: Macaque groups congregate near vehicle stopping points, especially if previous visitors have fed them there. This is ecologically problematic but practically convenient for visitors.
Near picnic areas: The forest has several designated picnic areas with tables and shade. Macaque groups forage near these regularly.
In the cedars above the road: Look up as well as around — macaques move through the canopy and often observe visitors from elevated positions before descending.
Best timing: 8:00-11:00am and 4:00-6:00pm are peak activity periods. Midday heat reduces movement — macaques rest in shade and are harder to find between noon and 3pm in summer.
Seasonal note: Spring and early summer (April-June) offer the highest chance of seeing infants, which are born February-April. Winter months (December-February) are quieter — macaques are less active and groups are harder to locate.
The Cèdre Gouraud: Morocco’s largest cedar
The Cèdre Gouraud is the most famous individual tree in Morocco. An Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica) estimated at 800-900 years old, it stands approximately 40m tall with a trunk circumference of around 7.6m. It was named after French General Henri Gouraud, though the naming says more about colonial-era naming conventions than about the tree’s history.
Finding it: Signposted from the main forest road. A small parking area and viewing point make it accessible without walking. The tree itself is enclosed by a low fence to prevent root compaction. You can walk around the perimeter and look up at the canopy.
A macaque family group often rests in and around the Gouraud cedar — the largest tree in the forest provides a convenient home base for one group, and visitors reliably find them there.
The broader cedar forest
The Cèdre Gouraud represents the forest’s most famous element, but the full cedar forest extends across a significant area of the Middle Atlas plateau. The Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica) is the dominant species at elevations above 1,500m in this region. The trees reach up to 50m, live for 600+ years, and form a dense canopy that characterises the Middle Atlas landscape.
The forest supports significant biodiversity beyond macaques: the Atlas hyena, red foxes, jackals, wild boar, multiple eagle and hawk species, and a rich ground-level flora including orchids in spring. Serious wildlife observers who spend time walking rather than driving see significantly more than those who stay in their vehicles.
Walking in the forest: Several informal trails branch from the main road. There are no formal waymarked hiking routes, but the terrain is open enough to navigate by compass and visibility. The best walks head away from the road into the quieter forest zones west of the Azrou-Ifrane axis — macaque groups are present but less conditioned by tourist presence.
Combining the cedar forest with an Ifrane visit
Azrou and Ifrane are 17km apart on the N8, making them a natural pairing for a day trip from Fes. The standard sequence:
Fes → Ifrane (70km, 1h): Morning in Ifrane — the alpine architecture, the stone lion, coffee at a boulevard café, the central park lake. 1.5 hours.
Ifrane → Azrou (17km, 20min): Drive south. Stop in Azrou town centre briefly or proceed directly to the cedar forest road.
Azrou cedar forest (2-3 hours): Main wildlife viewing period, Gouraud cedar, forest walk.
Lunch in Azrou: Simple tagine in the town market area, 50-100 MAD.
Return to Fes via Ifrane (90km, 1.5h): Optional afternoon coffee stop in Ifrane.
Total day: comfortable 8-9 hours.
The Middle Atlas, Ifrane, and forest of monkeys day trip from Fes covers this circuit with transport and English-speaking guide. The more comprehensive Middle Atlas full-day adventure from Fes extends the visit with additional stops.
Getting to the cedar forest independently
By car from Fes: N8 south from Fes through Ifrane to Azrou. Total 90km, approximately 1.5 hours. Well-maintained paved road, no special vehicle required. The cedar forest begins on the south side of Azrou — follow the Route de la Forêt signs or navigate to the Cèdre Gouraud specifically.
By public transport: CTM buses run Fes-Azrou (approximately 2 hours, 35-45 MAD per seat) several times daily. From Azrou, the forest is walkable (3-4km) or reachable by local taxi (30-50 MAD one-way). This works but limits flexibility for exploring multiple forest areas.
By taxi from Azrou: Azrou’s grand taxis serve the forest area. Agree on a rate for a forest circuit before departing — approximately 100-150 MAD for a 2-3 hour forest tour by taxi should be negotiable.
Practical information
Admission fees: No formal admission to the cedar forest. Parking at the Gouraud cedar area may have a small informal fee (10-20 MAD).
Facilities: Minimal. Picnic areas have basic toilets. Bring water and food — Azrou town has shops and cafés but there are no facilities inside the forest area.
Mobile signal: Generally good on the main road corridor. Drops inside the deeper forest.
Safety: No significant safety concerns. The main practical risks are macaque bites if personal space rules are violated (rare) and standard road safety on mountain roads.
Connecting the cedar forest to the broader Middle Atlas visit
The Middle Atlas guide covers the full day-trip itinerary from Fes in detail, including Moulay Yacoub and Ifrane. For the overall Fes visit, the Fes destination guide covers the medina highlights. If you’re planning a full imperial cities circuit, the imperial cities itinerary places the Middle Atlas within a Fes-Meknes-Chefchaouen sequence.
For wildlife-focused visitors, the Middle Atlas cedar forest and macaque encounter is genuinely one of Morocco’s best natural experiences — modest in scale but memorable in character.
Frequently asked questions
Are the Barbary macaques dangerous?
Generally no, when approached correctly. Macaques that have been fed by tourists can become bold and occasionally aggressive around food — particularly around vehicles where they’ve learned to find it. Following the no-feeding guidance eliminates almost all risk. Macaques that have not been conditioned by tourist food are shy and non-aggressive.
How close will the macaques come?
Habituated groups (particularly near the Gouraud cedar and roadside areas) will come within 1-2 metres of calm observers. Don’t approach them; let them approach you on their terms.
Are there other wildlife options in the Middle Atlas?
The forest supports raptors (short-toed eagle, booted eagle), red foxes, and occasionally hyenas (nocturnal, rarely seen). Botanically, the Middle Atlas plateau has significant orchid populations in May and June. Serious birders should bring binoculars — the forest edge and open areas have excellent raptor viewing.
Is this trip suitable for children?
Excellent for children, subject to the feeding prohibition being clearly explained and enforced. The macaque interaction is genuinely exciting for young visitors. The drive from Fes is easy and comfortable. Bring snacks and water.